Jun 30, 2020 | Multimedia items, News, Video clips
In a wide-ranging interview recorded on June 4 2020, ICJ Commissioner and former Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi, Ajit Prakash Shah, called on the Indian judiciary to exercise its responsibility to protect peoples’ human rights and “reprise its role as protector of Indian people” in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic.
In April and May 2020, the Indian Supreme Court dismissed several petitions and applications concerning the rights of internal migrant workers.
These included petitions demanding that migrant workers be moved to shelter homes and provided with basic needs and that payment of minimum wages be made to all migrant workers for the lockdown period.
The Court was also requested to direct the District Magistrates to identify those who are walking and ensure that they are provided with shelter and food and reach their destination, following the death of 16 internal migrant workers killed while sleeping on railway tracks while on their way back to their hometowns.
Finally, on 26 May 2020 the Court took suo moto cognizance of their predicament and, on 28 May 2020 ordered the Government to: register internal migrant workers; provide internal migrant workers free transportation home; and provide internal migrant workers with shelter, food, and water until they reach their homes.
This action was followed by another order on 9 June by which the Court ordered that: internal migrant workers are identified and sent to their hometowns within 15 days; and that all cases registered against those who had allegedly violated COVID-19 lockdown orders be considered for withdrawal.
In the interview, Justice Shah accented, in particular, the role of the Indian judiciary “as protector of Indian people” in respect of marginalized and disadvantaged people, including people living in poverty.
In addressing the question about internal migrant workers who were stranded during the recent COVID-19 lockdown, Justice Shah observed that for two months (March 24 2020 – May 28 2020) between the initiation of the lockdown and the rulings of the Supreme Court the Court appeared to have “remained skeptical” and in “denial” about petitions filed seeking redress for internal migrant workers.
Speaking in this context, Justice Shah reminded the Indian judiciary that Indian courts have historically been at “the forefront of giving effect to India’s international legal obligations,” including its economic, social, and cultural rights obligations encapsulated in International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
They had done so in landmark cases such as PUCL v. UOI (in which it held that the right to life with dignity includes a right to food and a right to be free from hunger and starvation) and Chameli Singh v. UOI (in which it held that right to shelter includes adequate living space includes light, air, water, civil amenities, and sanitation).
While commending the Courts interventions in May 2020, Justice Shah pointed out that their lateness to react was damaging.
“Courts should have intervened earlier. They could have monitored the process of the return of the migrants to their home states and ensured basic wages were fixed and delivered.”
Justice Shah expressed hope that the 28 May 2020 order represented a turning point:
“Hopefully, going forward, the Court will act in the same spirit … to grant some reliefs to suffering migrant communities. In the future, the Court should take the lead and monitor these processes, serving as a guide to both the center and the state authorities and the bureaucracy for addressing these issues.”
Commenting on the role of lawyers during the COVID-19 crisis, Justice Shah expressed concern that law officers were castigating lawyers for approaching courts with petitions.
Watch the video
Additional Reading
- Briefing Papers
- India on the Brink of Hunger Crisis during COVID-19 Pandemic
- The Right to Water in India and the COVID 19 Crisis
- COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes India’s Housing Crisis
- Press Release: COVID-19: Indian authorities must act immediately to protect internal migrant workers stranded under intolerable conditions
Download (with additional information)
India-Justice-Shah-Interview-Web-Story-2020-ENG (PDF)
Jul 5, 2018 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today joined 91 other NGOs in calling on the UN Human Rights Council to act in response to the downward spiral for human rights in Venezuela.
The joint statement was delivered on behalf of the group by Human Rights Watch during a general debate (check against delivery).
“Spiralling downwards with no end in sight”: That’s how a group of UN Special Procedures, including the Special Rapporteurs on health, adequate housing, extreme poverty and food categorized Venezuela in January of this year. This is also the title of a report released by the OHCHR on June 22, which paints a devastating picture of arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings coupled with a severe shortage of food and basic medicines.
One Venezuelan mother interviewed by OHCHR said: “I have a little baby that cries and cries because I can´t feed her. The baby’s milk formula costs 3 million Bolivars and my husband only makes 1.2 million a month. (…) My neighbours told me that if I don’t vote for the Government they will take the food, the cash bonus and my house from me. They control the electoral authority, so they know for which party you vote.”
The UN Human Rights Council can no longer look away. Venezuela has spiralled into a human rights and humanitarian crisis that demands urgent action. The crackdown on dissent continues. The population has lost an average of 11 kilos in 2017. Most Venezuelans go to bed hungry, and according to the UNHCR, more than 1.5 million Venezuelans have fled the country, for reasons including political persecution, violence, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. As a result, a 2,000 percent increase in asylum applications has been recorded across Latin America since 2014, and hundreds of thousands remain in an irregular situation, which increases their vulnerability.
Today’s joint statement delivered by Peru on behalf of 53 States adds to the chorus of international concern. The Human Rights Council also needs to step up and address the human rights violations suffered by the Venezuelan people at the hands of a member of this Council. We encourage continued reporting by the High Commissioner, and hope that today’s joint statement paves the way for the international investigation that the High Commissioner has called for and which is so desperately needed.
Acceso a la Justicia
Acción Solidaria
ACCSI Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA
Action for Solidarity
African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies
ALAPLAF
Ana Belloso
ASOADNA
Asociación Civil Fuerza, Unión, Justicia, Solidaridad y Paz (FUNPAZ)
Aula Abierta
Canada Venezuela Democracy Forum
Cátedra de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Centrooccidental Lisandro Alvarado
Center for Justice and International Law
Centro de Acción y Defensa por los Derechos Humanos – Cadef
centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana (CDH-UNIMET)
Centro de Derechos Humanos, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello
Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM)
Centro de Formación para la Democracia (CFD Venezuela)
Centro de Justicia y Paz – CEPAZ
Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos – PROMSEX
Centro para la Paz y los DDHH de la Universidad Central de Venezuela
Centro para la Paz y los DDHH Universidad Central de Venezuela
Centro Regional de derechos Humanos y Justicia de Genero: Corporación Humanas
Cisfem
CIVICUS
Civilis Derechos Humanos
Clínica Jurídica de Migrantes y Refugiados de la Universidad Diego Portales
Codevida
Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia
Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del Estado Tachira
Comisión para los Derechos Humanos del estado Zulia, Codhez
Comisión para los Derechos Humanos y la Ciudadanía (CODEHCIU)
COMITE POR UNA RADIOTELEVISIÓN DE SERVICIO PÚBLICO
Conectas Direitos Humanos
Convite AC
Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos
Defensa y Justicia Carabobo
Defiende venezuela
Dejusticia
Epikeia, Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos
Espacio Público
EXCUBITUS derechos humanos en educacion
FADNNA
Federación interamericana de Abogados capitulo Venezuela seccional Anzoategui
Foro Penal
Franciscans International
Fundacion Aguaclara
Fundación Espacio Abierto
FUNDACION ETNICA INTEGRAL
Fundación Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes
Fundación para el Debido Proceso (DPLF)
Fundamujer
Humano Derecho Radio Estacion
Human Rights Watch
Iniciativa Por Venezuela
Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights
International Commission of Jurists
International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR)
International Service for Human Rights
Ipys Venezuela
Juventud Unida en Acción
Laboratorio de Paz
Madres de Soacha (Colombia)
María Estrella de la Mañana
Maria Eugenia
Misión Scalabriniana Ecuador
Monitor Social A.C. (Venezuela-Edo. Nva Esparta)
Movimiento Vinotinto
Mulier
Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes
Observatorio Venezolano de Conflictividad Social (OVCS)
Observatorio Venezolano de la Salud
Organización StopVIH
PADF Honduras
Padres organizados de Venezuela
Paz y Esperanza
Pedro Luis Echeverria
PEDRO NIKKEN
Prepara Familia
Promoción Educación y Defensa en DDHH (PROMEDEHUM)
Revista SIC del Centro Gumilla
Robert F Kennedy Human Rights
Seguridad en Democracia (SEDEM)
Sin Fronteras IAP
Sinergia, Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil
Thais Parra
Transparencia Venezuela
UCV
Una Ventana a la Libertad
Unión Afirmativa de Venezuela
Union Vecinal para la Participación Ciudadana A.C
West African Human Rights Defenders Network
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Mar 8, 2016 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ spoke today at the UN Human Rights Council, addressing the human rights impacts of tax evasion and avoidance, and on women’s access to food and the right to food.
The statement was made in an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
The statement addressed the following points, among others:
Welcoming the report of the Independent Expert, the ICJ highlighted that tax evasion and tax avoidance are forms of business’ misbehaviour that are facilitated by inadequate legislation and lack of international frameworks and cooperation in tax matters, and as such need to be tackled by the international community. This is all the more important now that the private sector has been assigned a greater role in the achievement of the 2030 development goals. In this regard, the recommendations by these Special Procedures should receive careful consideration.
The ICJ also welcomed the report on Women’s access to food by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. The report highlights the legal barriers in domestic law that prevent women from fully realizing their right to food, including property rights, land rights and intellectual property rights. The report also highlights the negative impact of certain economic and market models as well as agribusiness corporations in enhancing women’s difficulties in accessing food and achieving food security.
The full statement may be downloaded in PDF format here: HRC31-OralStatement-IEforeigndebt-2016
Sep 24, 2013 | News
Por primera vez, un Juzgado de primera instancia, condenó al Estado guatemalteco por violaciones al derecho a la alimentación.
Está incluye la violación al derecho a la vida, a un nivel de vida adecuado, a la salud, a la educación y a la vivienda de niños y niñas del municipio de Camotán del departamento de Chiquimula al noroeste de este país.
El Estado de Guatemala fue declarado responsable de estas violaciones, por omisión, al no contemplar programas, políticas, acciones y medidas eficaces que evitaran problemas de salud en estos niños a causa de la desnutrición crónica sufrida por falta de una alimentación adecuada.
Las sentencias fueron emitidas entre abril y mayo de este año por el Juzgado de la Niñez y Adolescencia y de Adolescentes en conflicto con la Ley Penal del departamento de Zacapa.
Estas resoluciones obligan al Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería y Alimentación, al Ministerio de Salud y Asistencia Social, al Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda, al Ministerio de Educación, al Ministerio de Trabajo y Previsión Social, al Ministerio de Desarrollo Social, a la Secretaria de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional, al Consejo Nacional de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional, al Fondo de Tierras, a la Secretaria de Asuntos Agrarios, a la Procuraduría General de la Nación, a la Procuraduría para los Derechos Humanos y a la Municipalidad de Chiquimula a que adopten una serie de medidas para restaurar los derechos violados.
A solicitud de la Campaña Guatemala sin Hambre y de los abogados litigantes Jaime Tecu y Lorena Ramírez, la oficina de la Comisión Internacional de Juristas en Centroamérica presentó en todos los casos un Amicus Curiae a fin de ilustrar al juzgador sobre los estándares internacionales relativos a la protección de niños/niñas y al derecho a la alimentación, así como las obligaciones jurídicas generales y específicas de los Estados en esta materia.
Además se abordó el acceso a la justicia, la exigibilidad legal del derecho a la alimentación, la función de la administración de justicia y la responsabilidad del Estado de Guatemala en materia del derecho a la alimentación.
La elaboración del Amicus Curiae contó con el apoyo del Programa de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (DESC) de la CIJ.
Estas sentencias significan un avance para la justiciabilidad de los DESC y constituye un paso para lograr el acceso a la justicia de poblaciones vulnerables en Guatemala.
Además, representa un precedente para que otros casos sean judicializados y se logre que el Estado de Guatemala cumpla con sus obligaciones de respetar y proteger el derecho a la alimentación según los estándares internacionales de protección de derechos humanos.
En coordinación con la Campaña Guatemala sin Hambre y con los abogados antes mencionados se llevarán a cabo diferentes acciones para la ejecución de las sentencias.
Se adjunta a esta nota una copia de uno de los Amicus Curiae presentados por la CIJ, así como la última sentencia emitida en uno de los casos.
Guatemala-CIJ Amicus Derecho a la Alimentación-legal submissions-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Guatemala-Resumen casos de los niños y niñas de Camotán-cases-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Guatemala-Sentencia Caso Alimentacion Leonel Amador Garcia-cases-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Guatemala-Sentencia Caso Alimentacion Mayra Amador Espino-cases-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Guatemala-Sentencia Caso Alimentacion Dina Marilu y Malvelita Lucila-cases-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Guatemala-Sentencia Caso Alimentacion Brayan Rene Espino Ramirez-cases-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
